patriarch

Wrapping Up the 2024 Chicago Latino Film Festival

With the 40th (and my first-ever) Chicago Latino Film Festival now in the books, it’s time to take a look at what I screened. The event featured films from 28 countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Europe, along with a number of other nations that provided financial and production support. Regrettably, however, based on what I saw, I was largely disappointed with this event, which has given me pause to think about whether I will attend again next year.

Brent Marchant2024-05-23T07:43:31-05:00April 21st, 2024|Comedy, Drama, Film Festivals, Foreign, Movie Reviews, Smart Horror|

How to walk one’s talk ‘Somewhere in Queens’

It’s one thing to talk a good game, but it’s something else entirely to back it up with authentic action. Indeed, it’s a definitive example of being able to walk one’s talk, a practice that can be difficult to carry out, especially if preceded by exaggeration, deception or flat-out fabricated bragging. But, for those who are able to live up to their words, tremendous heartfelt satisfaction often results.

Brent Marchant2023-08-24T10:21:22-05:00July 12th, 2023|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Everything Went Fine’ pits love against death

Questions related to assisted suicide and the right to die have been debated hotly for decades, and proponents on each side of these issues have made passionate arguments for their causes. Is it ethical to help someone take his or her own life, or must its sanctity be preserved at all costs? At the same time, is it proper to deny someone the right to bring their existence to an end if they so choose, especially if they are in extreme pain or if they feel that their continuation is anguishing or pointless?

Brent Marchant2023-07-12T11:30:40-05:00May 30th, 2023|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Balloon’ examines the beauty, and difficulty, of choice

“Balloon” (“Qi Qui”) (2019). Cast: Jinpa, Sonan Wangmo, Yangshik Tso, Druklha Darja, Palden Nyima, Konchok, Kunda. Director: Pema Tseden. Screenplay: Pema Tseden. Web site. Trailer. We all value having choices in our lives, especially when they offer us a variety of pleasant outcomes. But what happens when we’re presented with options that seemingly hold no appeal, regardless of what we choose? We may feel like we have our backs up against the wall, unable to decide what to do. However, through it all, we must never lose sight of the fact that our power of choice is always with us, a paradox examined in the new Chinese cinematic fable, “Balloon” (“Qi Qui”). In 1979, the People’s Republic of China adopted [...]

Brent Marchant2020-07-16T11:32:55-05:00June 16th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|